Pin clip



Nov. 1, 1966 v. I. Ross 3,281,908

PIN CLIP Filed Oct. 29, 1964 fNVf/VfUE. t mm .f. 2055 United States Patent 3,281,908 PIN CLIP Viola I. Ross, RD. 4, Box 572, Benton Harbor, Mich. Filed Oct. 29, 1964, Ser. No. 407,355 Claims. (Cl. 24-86) The present invention relates to a pin clip and has partrcular applicability to that type of pin clip which may be employed for supporting apparel from a coat hanger or other horizontal support, for the hanging of drapes, for the suspension of piece goods from a horizontal wire or the like, for supporting blankets, yard goods or other fabric material, or in any other situation where suspension of an article receptive to a pin from a horizontal support is desired.

Some attempts have been made to utilize safety pins having their looped ends wound around the horizontal strands of coat hangers. A difficulty arises from having the safety pin slidable on the strand so as to accommodate articles of clothing having wider or narrower hems from which they are hung. Other means had been resorted to for hanging apparel on the coat hanger and some means have resembled clothes pins also slidable on the horizontal strands.

An object of the present invention is to provide a pin clip for attachment to a horizontal strand such as a wire coat hanger and one which when on the strand is not slidable thereon but is firmly gripped by its own construction, the pin clip being readily attached to any fabric article such as an article of clothing for suspending the article from any horizontal strand.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a pin clip for suspending an article of clothing from a coat hanger which is simple in structure, one easily constructed and economically feasible, and one which is highly effective in action.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in elevation showing the pin clip of the instant invention employed to support an article of clothing suspended from the horizontal strand of a coat hanger, the upper portion of the coat hanger not being shown;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vieW of the pin clip of the instant invention, the dotted line showing the sprung open position of the pin for penetration of a fabric article;

FIGURE 3 is an edge view, and

FIGURE 4 is an end view.

Referring in greater detail to a drawing in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the pin clip of the present invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 50 and it is formed of a single strand of resilient material such as spring steel wire or the like.

The clip 50 is bent upon itself to have a first substantially straight portion having a point 12 on one end thereof. The other end of the portion 10 merges with a first U-shape bend 14 by one end or leg of the latter, the other leg of the bend 14 merges with one end of a second substantially straight portion 16 which has its other end merging with one leg of a second U-shape bend 18.

A third portion 20 has one end thereof merging with the other leg of the bend 18.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the provision that a part 22 of the third portion adjacent the other end bears against and normally engages a part 24 of the second portion 16 inwardly of and adjacent the end that merges with bend 14. The parts 22 and 24 together form an openable and closable throat for the reception therein of the wire strand of a coat hanger as 3,281,908 Patented Nov. 1, 1966 shown in FIGURE 1, the hanger being designated generally by the reference numeral 34.

A third bend 26, of U-shape configuration, has one leg merging with the end of the third portion 20 remote from the second bend 18. The other leg of the bend 26 merges with one end of a fourth portion 28 which has a head 30 on the other end thereof, the head being of the type commonly used in safety pins and having a groove 32 on one side thereof for the reception of the pointed end portion of the first portion 10 as shown in full lines in FIGURE 2.

As shown in FIGURE 1 a garment 36 may be hung from the horizontal wire strand of the hanger 34 by means of two of the pin clips 50 of the present invention Without chance that the garment will become wrinkled by the pins slipping on the wire strand.

The feature of the invention is that between the parts -22 and 24 of the third portion 20 and second portion 16,

the wire strand of the coat hanger is securely held against slippage but the -pin clip of the present invention may be inserted onto the wire strand and removed therefrom with ease and facility.

It is to be noted that the third portion 20 is of a lesser length than the second portion 16 which makes it easier for insertion of the wire strand into the throat. Also it is to be noted that, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the portions in the bend and the head of the article lie in the same plane so that packaging of the same is readily accomplished as in the case of safety pins and the like.

Obviously, the pin may be made of any desired size of resilient wire, and the dimensions may vary widely in accordance with the use to which it is to be put.

While only a preferred form of the invention has been shown and described, other forms are contemplated and numerous changes or modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit thereof as set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A pin clip for hanging an article of apparel from the horizontal strand of a wire coat hanger comprising a single strand of resilient material bent to have: a first substantially straight portion pointed at one end, a first U-shape bend having one leg merging with the other end of said first portion, a second substantially straight portion having one end merging with the other leg of said bend, a second U-shape bend having one leg merging with the other end of said second portion and disposed on the other side of said second portion from said first bend, a third substantially straight portion having one end merging with the other leg of said second bend, the part of said third portion adjacent the other end being resiliently engaging the adjacent part of said second portion and with said adjacent part forming a throat for the reception therein of a transversely disposed strand section, a third U-shape bend having one leg merging with said other end of said third portion, a fourth substantially straight portion having one end merging with the other leg of said third bend, and a C-shape head carried by the portion of said fourth portion adjacent the other end, said head having a groove for the reception therein of the part of said first portion adjacent said pointed end, said first portion being normally sprung outwardly of said second portion for the piercing of an article of apparel so that said article may be suspended from a wire coat hanger horizontal strand when received in said throat and grippingly engaged between said second and third portions.

2. A pin clip for hanging an article of apparel from the horizontal strand of a wire coat hanger comprising a single strand of resilient material bent to have: a first substantially straight portion pointed at one end, a first U-shape bend having one leg merging with the other end of said first portion, a second substantially straight portion having one end merging with the other leg of said bend, a second U-shape bend having one leg merging with the other end of said second portion and disposed on the other side of said second portion from said first bend, a third substantially straight portion having one end merging with the other leg of said second bend, the part of said third portion adjacent the other end being resiliently engaging the adjacent part of said second portion and with said second part forming a throat for the reception therein of a transversely disposed strand section, a third U-shape bend having one leg merging with said other end of said third portion, a fourth substantially straight portion having one end merging with the other leg of said third bend, and a C-shape head carried by the portion of said fourth pontion adjacent the other end, said head having a groove for the reception therein of the part of said first portion adjacent said pointed end, said portions and said bends lying in the same plane, said first portion being normally sprung outwardly of said second portion for the piercing of an article of apparel so that said article may be suspended from a wire coat hanger horizontal strand when received in said throat and grippingly engaged between said second and third portions.

3. A pin clip for hanging an article of apparel from the horizontal strand of a wire coat hanger comprising a single strand of resilient material bent to have: a first substantially straight portion pointed at one end, a first U-shape bend having one leg merging with the other end of said first portion, a second substantially straight portion having one end merging with the other leg of said bend, a second U-shape bend having one leg merging with the other end of said second portion and disposed on the other side of said second portion from said first bend, a third substantially straight portion having one end merging with the other leg of said second bend, said third portion being of a lesser length than said second portion, the part of said third portion adjacent the other end being resiliently engaging the adjacent part of said second portion and with said adjacent part forming a throat for the reception therein of a transversely disposed strand section, a third U-shape bend having one leg merging with said other end of said third portion, a fourth substantially straight portion having one end merging with the other leg of said third bend, and a C-shape head carried by the portion of said fourth portion adjacent the other end, said head having a groove for the reception therein of the part of said first portion adjacent said pointed end, said first portion being normally sprung outwardly of said second portion for the piercing of an article of apparel so that said article may be suspended from a wire coat hanger horizontal strand when received in said throat and grippingly engaged between said second and third portions.

4. A pin clip for suspending a fabric article from a horizontal strand, comprising an elongated wire having a 5. A pin clip of the character described comprising a length of resilient wire bent at its center to form a clamping loop adapted for the reception of a horizontal supporting strand, the opposite ends being oppositely bent,

one of said ends including a fabric penetrating point, and means on the other of said ends releasably engaging said point to hold the same in a position to exert a clamping force on said loop.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1905 Wilson. 1/1912 Dallas 24-86 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

D. GRIFFIN, Assistant Examiner. 

4. A PIN CLIP FOR SUSPENDING A FABRIC ARTICLE FROM A HORIZONTAL STRAND, COMPRISING AN ELONGATED WIRE HAVING A POINTED END, A PORTION ADJACENT SAID POINTED END BEING REVERTED TO FORM A FIRST RESILIENT LOOP, AND A GROOVED POINT RETAINING HEAD AT ITS OTHER END, A PORTION ADJACENT THE OTHER END BEING REVERTED TO FORM A SECOND RESILIENT LOOP, SAID LOOPS LYING IN A COMMON PLANE, SAID WIRE BEING OPPOSITELY BENT BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND LOOPS WHERE- 